EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC) will be heading to the County Commissioners’ court meeting on Monday, July 15, to be added to the bond recommendations for the November election, according to the UMC Board presentation.
During Tuesday’s meeting, July 10, the UMC Board voted unanimously to present the County Commissioners a $396.6 million bond for the hospital to be added to the recommendations.
This comes after County Commissioners considered a $295 million in bond projects that would be narrowed down before formally voting in mid-August.
The $295 million bond will be funded with certificates of obligation, meaning that it wouldn’t require voter approval but will be repaid through taxes.
UMC’s nearly $400 million bond will be divided through the following projects:
- $207.6 million into Access Points
- Central geriatric clinic
- Horizon Health center
- Ambulatory Surgical Center west
- West emergency and urgent care
- Central specialty clinic at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
- Eastside rehabilitation services addition.
- $134.5 million into Existing Campus
- Increase bed capacity
- Add new surgical suites
- New cardiac catheterization
- Improve imaging technology
- Laboratory services
- Parking- garage and surface
- $30 million into Cancer Centers
- $24.5 million in Burn and Critical Care Centers
- Increase critical care beds
- Swing beds for inpatient burn care
- Add two operating rooms
The presentation highlighted gaps in the El Paso Health market, stating insufficient equipment, limited access or no access to specific care, extended wait times, lack of senior clinics, and gaps in cancer care.
According to the UMC Board presentation, the monthly impact on taxpayers is a weighted average of $5.54 over the 30 years of the bond.
The basis of the average is estimated on taxable value that was analyzed on Friday, July 5, the UMC presentation said. The tax amount may fluctuate depending on the property value and interest rates.
In 2022, UMC asked for a $345.7 million bond in certificates of obligation for hospital upgrades. A non-profit group delayed the vote, gaining over 25,000 needed signatures to move the proposal on the ballot.